Album Info: Wayne, Jay-z, Kanye, & Ghostface Killah!

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During the first half of the year we heard albums from names like Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Method Man & Redman, and more. While some of those were the big name releases of ’09, hip hop fans are wondering what’s around the corner this year for hip hop. SpazAppeal’s got the word on other releases that are slated to drop this year.

Lil Wayne – Rebirth
Lil Wayne is putting the finishing touches on his upcoming “Rock” album Rebirth. After numerous push backs, Rebirth will be in stores August 18th. Wayne had this to say about the album:

Expect great music. That’s all I ever want them to expect from me. I wanted to grow and show my growth as well. It’s a difference from when you go in a room and come out and you’re better and everyone says, ‘How did you do that?’ So with this album, I wanted everyone to see my growing pains.

Jay-z – Blueprint 3
Jay-z is currently working on his third installment of the Blueprint series, Blueprint 3. The album is set to release September 11th, eight years after the original Blueprint album dropped. Recently Jay announced his departure from Def Jam resulting in this album being released on Atlantic. Jay will drop his first street single “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune) tonight, and his mainstream single will drop in the future featuring newcomer Drake.

Ghostface Killah Eight Studio Album
One of my favorite MC’s Ghostface Killah is gearing up for his eighth solo album. For his final Def Jam album, Ghost is rocking to a different tune by making this an R&B album. While Toney Starks has a reputation for putting out hard, street music he explained his inspiration for his choice in making a slower album:

“It’s my last album [for Def Jam] so I wanted to do the album I always wanted to do,” Ghost explained. “You gotta tell the fans that you not gettin’ no younger here, we gettin’ older! And everybody don’t sell crack no more, man. I don’t sell crack, yo. I ain’t movin’ no bricks or none of that other sh*t. I ain’t shoot nobody in like since the early 90’s, man. How long you gonna be 40 years old and actin’ like you still sellin’ cracks and you on the block and you doin’ this and you doin’ that when times is more serious, man…And the fans gotta stop bein’ so dumb and ignorant, and know it’s time to talk about grown-man situations. Sh*t that happen in the real life, inside your household, your love life, your personal life, that’s just like, ‘D*mn, it’s hard for a n*gga to get some money!’ It might be so hard to get some money that your girl might wanna leave you someday because you ain’t get no money like you like you used to be getting’ money! Those are real situations, so I think it should start goin’ back to songs that mean sh*t. All that other sh*t outside is just gonna keep us dumb, deaf and blind, yo, and we ain’t never gonna get nowhere.”

Raekwon co-signed the album saying it’s little different and to expect to hear the Ghostface we heard on R&B features in the past. The first single is rumored to feature Mary J. Blige. As of now, there is no set release date for Ghostface’s album.

Kanye West New Rap Album
Last year Kanye switched it up for the fully-autotuned R&B’ish 808’s & Heartbreak. The random change in Kanye’s music received hated and loved reviews and he is now ready to get back to rapping. Kanye had this to say about going back to his origins:

“I’m always working, just talking to people like I’ve already got some lines that might make it to the album just from having a conversation,” Ye said in an interview. “I haven’t written down lyrics in like six years, but as far as rapping goes though, uh, how do we word this? [Michael] Jordan, Michael Jackson of it, that’s what I do. It’s time for me to bust another rap album… I kill that rap sh*t, that’s what I do. I’m working on stuff, lyrics right now and they’re awes-mazing, they’re basically untouchable and I’m about to take it to a whole ‘nother level and I would be scared if I was not me.” (MTV)

During an 808s & Heartbreak listening session last fall, Ye said a rap project would likely drop this month.
Aside from his new album, Mr. West is also working on Jay’z Blueprint 3 (mention earlier) and even Soulja Boy Tell Em.